Married from her mother's home, the wedding taking place in their garden.

Marion Stoner was a model, aged 32, when in November of 1983, she met Alexander Montagu. The couple were married on March 17th of the next year.

Stoner had been in a relationship and had two children but never married.

Due to violence and abuse by Alexander Marion Montagu left Alexander on May 21, 1984 and filed for legal separation. See Application for Separation

Ms. Stoner reported in the application for separation having, "lived in a defacto relationship with Con Sorensen for twelve years." The documents also says the two children were Lisa Marie, born December 5, 1969, and Daniel Frederick Sorensen, born July 10, 1973.

Immediately following the wedding, Marion reports that her husband became extremely hostile toward the children. This escalated until on May 12th Alexander walked into the living room where Lisa Marie was watching television, grabbed and choked the girl, who was handicapped. He carried her to the front door, and threw her down the stairs, locking the door.

The report, in five pages of narrative, given under penalty of perjury, outlines a series of assaults ending with an attack on Marion with a spear gun. In her own words, this is what took place after she had already endured barrages of violence and the assault on her children.

After filing for separation she never saw him again and never used the title, Lady Montagu.

""11. On another occasion on or about the 20th day of May, 1984 when my girlfriend AMANDA LEE RICHARDS was present in my home having tea an argument occurred between the respondent and myself about my daughter Lisa Marie and his treatment of her and the respondent came in from the kitchen and hit me across the left side of the face with his open hand but with a great deal of force. I was stunned by the force of the blow and thereafter suffered considerable pain as the blow caused painful bruising to my eye. Immediately after my husband had assaulted me he then went to the broom cupboard in the home and removed a spear gun and loaded a spear into it, came into the room where Mandy Richardson and I were standing and took aim and fired the speargun at me. The speargun missed my by approximately a foot but only missed my girlfriend's head by approximately half an inch.

12. As a result of the respondent's assault upon me and my fear for my own safety and that of my two children I immediately made arrangements to leave the matrimonial home and I left the home on the day thereafter taking with me such furniture and possessions as I had previously acquired prior to the marriage.

13. I verily believe that the respondent slashed his wrists with razor blades and was admitted to Dandenong and then to Pine Lodge Psychiatric Hospital where he remained as an in-patient for approximately four weeks.

14. Thereafter I resided with a number of my friends and endeavored to keep away from the respondent and not let him become aware of my address. When the respondent was unable to locate me I verily believe from my mother Mrs. Maria Stoner who resides in Cranbourne and sister Gabi Byng that the respondent telephoned them both constantly on a daily basis endeavoring to locate my whereabouts. In addition, I am informed by my mother and my sister that the respondent drove his motor vehicle up and down the street in which they reside attempting to terrorise them and that he called at their homes and knocked on the door and tried to gain admission into their homes.

15. Due to the fear that I had for my own safety and that of my children I went to reside with friends of mine in Essondon so that the respondent would be unable to threaten or assault me.

16. In September school holidays, I returned to Cranbourne to reside with my mother at 22 Mundering Drive, Cranbourne. I know, due to the fact that I have seen respondent driving his motor cycle and car up and down the street that the respondent is still trying to locate me and I am fearful for my safety in view of the respondent's irrational behavior."

Alexander was incarcerated, first in the psychiatric facility mentioned. The assault resulted in a conviction in the Dandenong Magistrate's Court on the 13th day of August, 1984 for two counts of assault with a weapon. He was placed on probation for a period of twelve months with the direction he undergo psychiatric treatment.

He would soon be standing trial for credit card fraud and passing bad checks.

It is yet to be discovered if the attorney who represented him in those instances was the same gentleman who stood by him, intervening during the Siege of Montagu-Manchester. This part of the story never made it to the newspapers but is to be found in the transcript of September 6, 1984, Montagu vs. Montagu.

The story begins to unfold on page 4 with a question posed to Mr. Conquest, solicitor for Mrs. Montagu regarding the serving of the anticipated ex parte order by Judge Mrs. Lusink.

"....I'm worrying the effect of having an ex parte order served on the husband if he is psychiatrically disturbed, and I was wondering whether we could get the help of the psychiatrist for the time of the service of the ex parte order. Taking, you know, that I would be satisfied that an order should be made."Mr. Conquest responded, "Sorry, I do not quite follow what your honor has got in mind there."HER HONOR: What I have in mind is this: here we have got a man who is under psychiatric treatment; he has been charged, and I mean, and he was found guilty, we he not, of assault?MR. CONQUEST: Indeed, your Honor, yes.HER HONOUR: That is right. On somebody else. But he is a man who is clearly disturbed. Now, taking that I am prepared to make the ex parte order ---MR. CONQUEST: Yes.HER HONOUR: ----bit alarmed at his --what is reaction might be. MR. CONQUEST: So am I, your Honor, that is the reason why I am here, but I would happy, your Honour, to arrange -- to ascertain --I do know who the solicitor who has from time to time acted from - on behalf of the husband. In fact, the affidavit - the co-operative affidavit is made by Miss Richards, who was in fact employed by that solicitor.HER HONOUR: Is this locally too?MR. CONQUEST: That solicitor is in Cranbourne."
Judge Lisink and Mr. Conquest edge into their concern the respondent might learn of his wife's whereabouts through the solicitor then acting for him. They consider this and the ugly possibilities of what will happen the moment the respondent is served with papers. The Judge is inclined to worry about ensuring Montagu's rights as a respondent are respected. Mr. Conquest's concern is for what might happen to his client, Mrs. Montagu, when the papers are handed over. A strong wish to hear from the defendant's solicitor is expressed and matters are briefly tabled so he can be brought into court.

"ZOLTAN VARSZEGHY, solicitor for Montagu, is sworn in. He affirms he is a solicitor with the Supreme Court of Victoria and this court, giving his address and other essential information. He states he has been representing Mr. Montagu for eight months, handling a number of matters.Then Judge Lisink asks, "Were you able to form any opinion albeit not as an expert medical pinion, as to the respondent's behavioural attitudes." We learn Zoltan Varszeghy is well versed in the respondent's ways."I believe that this gentleman is probably the most dangerous client I have ever dealt with in seven years. He is totally unreliable in relation to his attitude. He has got streaks that at times come out of him where he does not appear to be himself or he does not appear to be on the same level of thinking as what I would class an ordinary person. He has acted quite irrationally on a number of occasions, and the most dramatic being when he locked himself in his home, virtually sieged his home - I forget the name of the street - it was in Cranbourne, and unfortunately a police siege ensued. I volunteered to try to assist the police to bring him out of the home and during this time he slashed his wrists. He had already slashed them prior to me being there, but he kept cutting himself open in the wrists. He pointed a spear gun at a police officer who attended to ask him to vacate the premises decently. HER HONOUR: Was that the basis of the subsequent charge, Mr. Varszeghy?MR. CONQUEST: No. your Honour, it was another one.HER HONOUR: No, it was not? - - - No, your Honour. This was just an incident where -- - A few incidents with a spear gun? yes---He - I think if I can give you a history of this, I may be able to bring some understanding of this gentleman. He, as a result of that assault on this police officer - the police officer is presently on sick leave. I have spoken to him. It is one of the main reasons that this gentleman is on sick leave. He is nervous wreck. I, myself, was in there with him for three hours, at time with a spear gun pointed at me, at times with a policeman putting some pressure on. It was quite a horrendous experience. The police subsequently did apprehend him in the home. He came out and he was apprehended. He was taken to the Dandenong Psychiatric Clinic, and just, was just checked out the next day. I then voluntarily took him back to the clinic with police escort, unbeknown to him. I told him that it was essential that he return to the clinic. They would not have him. The doctor refused to allow me to check him in.Would that be Mr. Williamson? -- No. This was a gentleman at the - this Dr. Williamson was wonderful man. I then took him voluntarily to the Pine Lodge Clinic.I see?---And Dr. Williamson attended him there. Dr. Williamson has in fact told me that he has psychopathic tendencies."

- END OF QUOTED SECTIONS OF TRANSCRIPT -

As more details were shared with the court by Montagu's solicitor any objection to an ex parte order ceased. Instead, the need for instant action on the part of the police, should it become necessary, became the focus of the discussion.

Alexander Montagu served a year for 29 counts of assault, credit card fraud and passing bad checks, but that was only part of the story.

In 1988 an article appeared in The People which included this snap shot of the couple together.

In the article, Marion steps forward to warn women about Alexander. She cautions them on considering marriage with the man who is now Viscount of Mandeville because they are not divorced. She has been unable to find him to serve papers.

Marion comments, "Our short marriage was hell." "At first he was a real gentlemen, but changed dramatically into a monster."

You cannot tell a psychopath by the way he, or she, looks.

The divorce would not take place until three years after Alexander again married, this time to Wendy Buford Montagu, the mother of his two children.

At some point Lady Mary Montagu, Alexander's mother, became involved in the issue of the marriage, which impacted the legitimacy of the two Manchester children.

The papers were taken out by Lady Mary Montagu in Australia, expressed to Alexander, living with his wife and child in Orange County California. Alexander signed them and sent them back to his mother, where they were filed in good order. But despite the demands his mother made that the two remarry he neither remarried Wendy Buford, who had no idea he was still married. Alexander had never told her about his first marriage and never mentioned the name of Marion Stoner.

On one level it was just paperwork. But on another level we see a highly psychopathic individual in operation.

Articles about the Duke and his colorful personal life have appeared in the major media for years now.

Over time the claims, counter claims, and strangeness of the ducal behavior has raised questions as to the his Grace's mental state. Questions demand answers.

This site is a secondary repository for articles, interviews, photographs, and other materials which allow the inquiring mind to discover the truth of the matter.

By multiple reports the present holder of the title, Duke of Manchester, uses this honorable appellation in ways never intended by those who accepted the honor from the Crown and passed in to their descendants.

Splendor and Squalor by Marcus Scriven, a journalist writing in England, provides insight into the recent generations of the House of Manchester, which sold the estate over two generations ago. The income of the present Duke from the Manchester Trusts does not even qualify him as 'middle class,' and the cause is the indiscriminate spending and profligacy of previous generations.

If you have further information on the Duke and his present wife, Laura (nee Smith) please contact us. We will be delighted to interview you.

Montagu claims caller has told him to stay away from trial

By Mike Taibbi

NBC News

EXCLUSIVE

LOS ANGELES — A member of the British aristocracy who has been subpoenaed to testify for the prosecution in the Michael Jackson child molestation case told NBC News' Mike Taibbi that he has received threats telling him to stay away from the trial.

Lord Alex Montagu, who is listed in Burkes Peerage as Viscount Mandeville Baron Montagu Alexander Charles David Drogo Montagu and as the Duke of Manchester on his passport, spoke exclusively with NBC News, in violation of Judge Rodney Melville's gag order, because he says he has received telephone threats.
According to Montagu, the caller told him “to leave the country and don't come back until after the hearing.
“I've had the front of my house vandalized, I've had my car tires slashed,” Montagu said. He doesn't know who's responsible for the threats and vandalism.

Montagu has been subpoenaed to testify because of his and his son Alexander's experiences with Michael Jackson at the singer's Neverland Ranch in the late ’90s.

Melville is expected to rule on Monday whether testimony about prior accusations of molestation against the singer can be used in evidence in this trial. If Melville does allow such testimony, Montagu could be a very important witness for District Attorney Thomas Sneddon. According to NBC News, his testimony would complement other available stories about Jackson referring to wine as “Jesus juice” and about the singer and his friendships with young boys. MORE

Maybe adults get bored in the summer and should go away to camp. Maybe it's piña colada poisoning. Or sunscreen abuse. Whatever the cause, this has been a season of marital restlessness for some well-known celebrity couples. The three-year union of Bruce Springsteen and Julianne Phillips has unraveled, and the Debra Winger-Timothy Hutton marriage is on the rocks. Come Labor Day, there are certain to be some sheepish responses to that old question, How did you spend your summer vacation? The answer may be depressing, liberating or both for the following duos: Singer Lionel Richie, 38, and his wife, Brenda, 35, who were involved in a violent domestic dispute that shattered the nighttime calm of a Beverly Hills neighborhood; Princess Stephanie, Grace Kelly's 23-year-old rebellious daughter, who ended a tempestuous 20-month affair with French-born gadabout Mario Oliver (né Jutard), 36; and San Francisco super-lawyer Melvin Belli, 80, who filed to divorce wife Lia, 39, and claimed that she has had numerous affairs during their 16-year marriage. (She denies the charges and complains that after a recent shooting attempt on her life in their home, Belli, who was away at the time, was more concerned about the fate of his four dogs than with his wife's safety.)

And Labor Day is still seven long weeks away.

Velvet-voiced Lionel Richie didn't have to ask, "Hello, is it me you're looking for?" when his wife, Brenda, suddenly materialized shortly after 2 a.m. on June 29 in the Beverly Hills apartment of Diane Alexander, a friend of the couple's. According to police, Brenda found her husband with Alexander and promptly drop-kicked him sharply in what everyone is delicately referring to as the "stomach area." MORE

"When Belli got back to San Francisco on July 2, he was armed with his own ideas about who had taken a shot at his wife. Belli's prime suspect is Alexander Montagu, Viscount Mandeville, the Australian-born son of the 12th Duke of Manchester. (Montagu later provided police with an acceptable alibi.) Lia did call the cops about the viscount back in April, after he pulled a knife on her at Michael Jackson's L.A. estate. But she says now that she "overreacted," and both she and Montagu, 25, deny they are lovers.

According to Alex, Lia took him under her wing when he was 7 or 8 years old. "I love her like a mother," he says. "There's no sex involved at all. That would be like what the Australians call grab-a-granny."

Lia vigorously denies any sexual involvement with Montagu and, in a written statement to police, claimed that her husband's charges of extramarital affairs—including liaisons with South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Zsa Zsa Gabor and the Bellis' gay housekeeper—were wild and unfounded. "In 16 years of marriage," Lia declares, "I have not had an affair with a man, a woman or a goat." Belli, for his part, bleats that he never accused her of involvement with Zsa Zsa or Tutu".

SAN FRANCISCO — "Extraordinary" does not begin to describe the scene:
Flanked by a publicist and a private eye, one of San Francisco's wealthiest women rents a suite in the city's toniest hotel for a fancy tea-party-cum-news conference that attracts nearly two dozen journalists and is broadcast live by one local television station.

As cameras roll and pens jot, she spins a tale of brutality and infidelity, bares her scar as well as her soul, talks of a mysterious gunman and a custody fight--and produces a teen-age friend of her daughter for corroboration.

Then--and here's the capper--the attractive, well-dressed woman introduces domestic employees, including one young man barely able to speak English and a gay male secretary, and asks them one by one to deny having had sex with her.

What's going on here? Is this a rehearsal for some cheesy TV miniseries?
Not quite. Not yet, anyway.

The unusual press conference--which took place Monday--is but one episode in the too-wild-for-fiction marital breakup of two of San Francisco's most publicity-conscious socialites, famed 81-year-old lawyer Melvin Belli and his 39-year-old wife, Lia.

A Murder Attempt?

The curtain rose on the final act in their stormy 16-year marriage shortly after an intruder allegedly tried to gun down Lia Belli in the couple's big Pacific Heights mansion two weeks ago, while her husband vacationed in Moscow.

She filed for legal separation July 1, then summoned local reporters and in interviews accused her husband of verbally and physically abusing both her and their 15-year-old daughter, Melia. She also told the San Francisco Examiner that her husband falsely accused her of a number of extramarital affairs with, among others, South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu and actress Zsa Zsa Gabor.

Belli promptly responded with his own media broadside, saying at a press conference that he plans to file for divorce and accusing his wife of spending upwards of $1 million on jewelry and other extravagances while romancing a 25-year-old Australian-born viscount, a man who, according to Australian newspapers, has a criminal record as well as a title.

AT HOME in Britain they may live in ostentation, they may drive limited-edition cars, they may flaunt their pomposity. But in Australia's meritocracy, the nobility eschew notoriety, they conceal their privilege or, at worst, they indulge in startling opportunism.

If Australia was once a repository for bounders, it has intriguingly become an outpost of the titled in exile. The defiantly-elitist bible for toffs, Debrett's, claims that there are thousands of members of the peerage and baronetage families living in Australia, including at least eight peers and a couple of dozen baronets with exquisite bloodlines.

There are many more belonging to European families, like the Countess Byergetta Von Bulow. Wherever she appears heads don't just merely turn, they spin. At high noon in a hotel foyer in a strangely unfashionable end of town, the electronic doors slide open to reveal a beautiful, buxom blonde. In one hand she waves a mobile telephone (which rings during tea in the lounge), and wears jewellery which drips from wherever it can be fastened. MORE

Vancouver, British Columbia (AP) – Since arriving in this port city, s cousin of Britain's Princess Diana has been arrested, fallen for a former stripper who manages his $12-a-night hostel and decided to sell his title.

“My title is up for sale,” said Baron Alexander Montagu, 28-year-old son of the Duke of Manchester, “I'd prefer to give it to someone who would use it properly.” He wouldn't name a price but expects something in the millions.

Montagu is second cousin to the Princess of Wales. A member of Britain's House of Lord's, he is 56th in line to the throne.

Montagu says he's in love with Katie Lynch, 38, who told the Province newspaper she's a former stripper.

He was arrested for allegedly entering Canada illegally from Hong Kong on June 17th. Immigration officials say he failed to disclose 29 criminal convictions for fraud and assault in Australia.

Alexander, Viscount of Mandevllle, provides quotes in this story and offers to sell his title.

"Some, like the youthful Viscount Mandeville, Baron Montagu, Heir to the 13th Earl of Manchester, whose father is Lord Angus Charles Drogo Montagu, has actually abandoned Australia to find recognition elsewhere. After his traumatic imprisonment a few years ago, for fraud when he was 24, he went to live in the United States. He says that he endured a troubled childhood, devoid of love.
"I do enjoy the title," said Alexander Montagu (whose mother Mary Montagu was the country's sole resident duchess before she divorced Alexander's father), from his Beverley Hills home. "But in Australia I would have been a 100 per cent better person without it.
"In fact, of all the countries I've been, the United States thinks the title is great. In Australia, the only thing it got me was free admission to nightclubs. That's about it. But really, to me, the title is meaningless. I'm struggling to survive like anyone else, though my mother thinks it's something special."
Baron Montagu claims that a Texan millionaire offered him millions for his title. He refused the overtures. Besides, he's already making enough dough out of endorsements for hotels, beer and after-shaves. The Americans marvel that he should have such a title all, what with his unlordly Australian accent. He claims to be the highest titled Australian - 52nd in line to the throne of England. If some heinous act decimated the other 51 notables, young Alexander could well be the first King with a (disclosed) criminal background.
In the quite comfortable meantime, Baron Montagu can expect, apart from his apparently burgeoning career in the United States, to inherit the wealth from the family's estates in Britain, the US and Kenya, held in a multi-million dollar trust-fund.
Clearly, some members of the nobility can make fast money from their titles in the Antipodes, without having to resort to the American fascination."

Honestly Spy, he just had a call from Lord Alexander Montagu, the honorable Viscount Mandiville, Melbourne's limo-propelled son of the realm: “I'm getting married, I want you to print that.”

Lord Al, is that really you? “I am ringing from Nairobi, Kenya, to deny those things you wrote about me last weekend, that I was ringing 'A Current Affair' from a 40-foot limo in Melbourne. It's all bullshit. None of my cars are 40 foot, they are 42 foot or 36 foot, and none has got a spa.”

Sorry Al, But what's this about a marriage? I'm engaged to a lovely young lady named Shannette Millar. She's Australian. It's her 20th birthday and she hasn't paid me a cent.”

Are you talking about those stories last year that you, as future Duke of Manchester, offered to sell the title of Duchess for $30 million? “I never said that, but I was offered $50 million by a guy named Maxim. I said no.

So when is the wedding? “We will be coming back to Australia before Christmas and we will be getting married in Sydney in January. Shannette will be Viscountess Mandiville and we'll live in Delaware. We'll be asking the media to the wedding.”

Thanks Al, how are you supporting yourself these days? “Oh, I've got businesses going here, there and everywhere. The limo business in Los Angeles. All honest businesses.”

This is an extraordinarily clear line from Kenya, Alex, you wouldn't be pulling my leg, would you? “I'm calling from Kenya. We're staying at the Nairobi Club.”

Will I pass on regards to your dear old Melbourne mum, Mary? “I can't stand the bimbo. I haven't got on with her since day one. My father's as big a whacker as she is. I don't get along with any of them.”

Follow both the Manchesters

Alex kicked Laura, his duchess out and she told me she was heading to Michigan to change her life and take up her real identity. I told her I would stop exposing her. Then, she attacked me again. Bad move, Laura.

Contact Me

Name

Email
*

Message
*

More on Manchesters

As you read through the sites below you will see references to sites where Laura spends her time posting historical information on the honorable history of the Manchesters. The family lost their wealth several generations ago and today the Duke lives on a tiny stipend which barely supports a lower middle class life style.

This is pathetic, not because they lost their wealth, that happens to people who are honorable every day.

However, to focus on the past instead of attempting to restore the family's honor is sad beyond belief.

For Alex, projecting a semblance of past wealth and stature is necessary for continuing his career as a con-artist. Alex has lived on converting the reputation of his ancestors to money, goods, and services extracted under false pretenses most of his life.

For Laura, the motive is her wish to be someone who matters.

The only things which mean anything to Laura are wealth and status, to which she, herself, has no claim except for her marriage to Alexander.

Today Laura is in her early 50s, a sad and aging woman with nothing in her life but fantasies from someone else's past.

When you read her sites remember this and pray for her. Her relationship with Alexander, 13th Duke of Manchester has cost her everything in life that lasts - and matters.